QUESTION
Do whales ever leave Antarctica during the winter months and, 
if so, do they leave in groups?
 
                 Sean G.. 6th grade
                 Taylor Road Middle School
                 Alpharetta, GA

ANSWER from Robin Ross, aboard the Polar Duke, Antarctica
Sat, 1 Feb 1997 17:05:24 +0000 (GMT)

Dear Sean,

Most of the whales we see do leave Antarctica in the winter, going to 
tropical waters to breed and have their calves.  The whales we most 
commonly see in these waters off the west coast of the Antarctic 
Peninsula are humpback whales, killer whales, minke whales, and blue 
whales.  The humpback whales are strongly migratory, and 
travel in small groups over well-marked migration routes to tropical 
waters.  Killer whales travel in larger groups of from a few to 25 or 30 
individuals.  They also generally breed in warmer waters.  Minke whales 
are the smallest baleen whales in the Southern Ocean, and are usually 
seen either singly or in pairs.  I have not been able to find out for 
sure whether they leave in the winter.  The blue whale migrates to 
tropical waters to have their calves, but return to the Southern Ocean in 
spring to feed.  Blue whales usually travel singly or in pairs.

With Greetings from the RV Polar Duke,

Robin

Robin Ross
Marine Science Institute
University of California at Santa Barbara